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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · fall · wax · bound · wound · suit · fan · pitcher

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. game — wild animals
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fall — the season
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bound — certain
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. game — a match
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com